Today we are going to look at our long list and I want you place the name of an emotion for your main character next to each of the points you made. For some of the points there will be multiple emotions. For example when Bob finds out his wife is cheating on him he could be mad, sad, disgusted and feeling used and stupid. Some of those emotions he will feel simultaneously, others we will break out into specific scenes as we move forward next week breaking down each of the points and adding more to our framework. And we will deal more with emotions in the future as we start blending story with plot. But I find that it is easier to look at the details when I have some idea what the character is feeling. So just make a note of the emotional headings for each of the points in your Act break out list. That is today’s task. In our example of Bob we have…
Act 1
1: The start of the Story. Bob is working for his Father-in-law as he had a heart attack and there was no one else available to keep the family business afloat. (trapped)
2:The issue with the everyday world: Bob went to school to be a Marine Biologist but even though he takes small jobs in his field when he can, he feels that more and more of his life is becoming about the Lumber Yard. (lost, trapped, sad, exhausted)
3: Inciting Incident: Bob had to change systems and processes when he started taking over because the business was heading for bankruptcy and now that they are in the black Henry insists on going back to the way things were and making things more miserable (actively miserable) for Bob at work. (determined and miserable))
4:Chocies: His FiL hints (in several unsubtle ways) that he should quit giving him the opportunity of walking away. (annoyed, underappreciated)
5: Second thoughts: Bob realizes that if he leaves everything will go back to being run the way it was and the business will fail in a year or two. (responsible, determined)
6:Decision:Bob decides he will train some of the others so they will understand the system and then once they can manage things competently he will pull himself out of the company so it doesn’t just collapse. (pleased with himself, hopeful for an exit strategy)
Act 2: Complications
7:Bob makes a list of the family working for the company looking at strengths and weaknesses so he can see who to pass which jobs to. (Hopeful)
8:Obstacle #1: He finds out that most of the family wants to be seen to be in charge without actually doing the work.(annoyed, dismayed)
9:Plan to deal with Obstacle #1: Bob figures if he has the system set up so that the underlings take care of things and the ‘in charge’ family only has to sign off so they look like they are the one with authority it would work best so he decides to shift the systems, protocols and checklists so it is ‘foolproof’ and easy to manage. (determined, sneaky)
10:Obstacle 2: Bob finds out one (or more) of the family is embezzling. (annoyed, angry, eshausted)
11:Plan for dealing with Obstacle 2:Bob puts in a system of checks and balances closing up the avenue for theft and will be telling FiL about it so he can decide how he wants to handle the theft now that it has been stopped. (tired and nervous but determined)
12:Midpoint (twist): Bob discovers that if his FiL fires him than according to the contract he signed there is a hefty severance package coming his way that his FiL does not want him to have and is therefore trying to make him quit instead of firing him. (Angry, used, dismissed)
13:Dealing with the Midpoint: Bob realizes that his work will never be valued and that while he will reassign duties he will make his FiL fire him. (angry and determined, maybe slightly vindictive)
14:Obstacle 3:Bob finds out his wife is having an affair with George. (Sad, used, stupid, dismayed, angry)
15:Plan for Obstacle 3: Bob confronts his wife about the affair and they decide to separate. (angry, relieved)
16:Obstacle 4: FiL goes in with the help of Chuck and removes the systems Bob put in place to keep them stable and the pilfering down. (annoyed)
17: Plan/deal with Obstacle #4: Bob decides that as he is getting divorced then it is no longer his concern and he doesn’t fight them removing the system. He will be leaving anyway so let them go down the tubes. (relaxed, free or almost so)
18: Crisis: FiL decides that Bob is the one who is embezzling funds from the company. (Upset, panicked)
Act 2: Resolution
19:Comes through the crisis:Bob has the paperwork to prove he is not the one who embezzled and that Chuck is. (relieved and vindicated)
20: Falling into Place: Having divorced his wife, Bob gets an apartment. He is still determined to make his father in law fire him so he stays working at the Lumber yard after he is cleared of charges. He also starts looking around for jobs in Marine Biology, quietly. (determined and pleased)
21. Bob is fired and his FiL is forced to give him the severance package. (pleased and free, relieved)
22:Wrap Up: Bob’s Bob gets a job near his family, buys a boat and sails off into the sunset. (happy)
And there you have it. If you need to adjust, go ahead. Is there a complication you left out, a piece that just doesn’t fit? Go ahead and adjust it. After that, your task for the day is done.
Ten til Midnight 